I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas! We have settled into our winter break and are enjoying lots of family time. It is still too cold here to play outside, so we are doing lots of crafts and movies. I hope you and your family have an amazing holiday break!
I am just popping in today to share one of our favorite new, but mostly handmade, Christmas decorations.
Ever since spotting this blue-lined plywood shelf (also available in pink) at Target, I knew it would become the stable for our nativity set. The house-shaped box can hang on the wall as a shelf, but looks equally cute sitting on our living room built-ins. All this stable needed was some DIY peg dolls.
I adore peg doll nativity sets, but preferred to make my own. I scoured the wood craft aisles for the right peg dolls and pieces, but came up empty handed, other than the baby peg doll. Instead, I used a large wooden dowel and round wooden doll heads to make my own peg dolls.
I cut the dowel into 2.5” pieces. Then I used my small Dremel sanding attachment to round the top edges. I used wood glue to attach the doll heads. For the angel and Mary, I used an inverted wood flower pot with a doll head.
I used round wood balls with flat bottoms for the sheep and donkey…so adorable!
With a mix of acrylic craft paint and Sharpie markers, I decorated all the peg dolls. I went for simplicity.
This is the boy’s first nativity set and I am so glad it is handmade. They love to play along and retell the Christmas story. Tomorrow we will put baby Jesus in the manger to celebrate Christmas!
Dear Jackie,
This is hands-down one of the most adorable things I have ever seen! Speaking of the little “itty bitty” things of your previous post, you will make precious memories with your boys as you watch them play with this beautiful piece year after year. Even though I thought some of the wonder of Christmas had started to dissipate for my 12 year-old, I was completely wrong as I watched him and his 6 year-old brother trim their personal trees in the play space this year. Still full of magic, wonder, blessings, and stories of where each ornament came from and its story. It, too, was precious.
Blessings to you and yours this holiday season. Merry Christmas!
Wendy, Merry Christmas!!
I love it!
Oh I just love this Jackie, and I know my kids would too. So charming!
This is adorable and I love how kid friendly and customizable it is! I may just be making one for next year!
Thanks, Carrie. The boys love it…although there was a brief freak out when they lost baby Jesus tonight. I definitely wanted this to be a nativity set they were free to play with, but I did not plan for them to lose the most important peg doll. I am certain we will find it tonight (or I will make another)!
Adorable Jackie! Merry Christmas to you and your precious family.
~Sarah
Sarah, Merry Christmas!
Oh I got all weepy. For in my day I never had one and then I got a small white glass one but then a big one but never traditional like my friends’ parents had –popular in the late 60’s. my hubby bought me the little brass set from PB after a dr appt and I’ve been playing with it. Now which side do I want my shepherds?? Which is Joseph??
But yours is so very special. I know its not funny ( yes auto correct never puts my apostrophe in its) but for your boys to say Ummm we lost Baby Jesus…and He’s not even supposed to come yet we know…and all the searching for Baby Jesus is almost like the real story!!! The Jews had last heard in Micah of the Messiah so it had been 400 years of looking…and the wise men were looking for the Babe following a star not sure where to find Him—and the shepherds? They too had to run from their field and find Baby Jesus!! So actually looking for the Messiah is so part of the real story!! And when they pray and seek Him with all their hearts? He will be found (even if Mom has to hurry and paint a new one while they seek). But it’s so neat!!!!
This is adorable. I love the fat sheep and donkey.
When I saw those shelves at Target all I could thing was stable for a nativity! How creative!
I just bought the pink one the other day to use for a nativity scene, too. So cute!